Hardware
News Commentary: One Webcam Per Child
Feb 28th
On Sundays I offer comments on some of the most interesting information technology stories that I have found on the web that week. Please feel free to join in the discussion or suggest other stories.
Well I think that we can all agree that using webcams on school provided computers to spy on students without parental consent is a really bad idea. I also think that attempting to cover it up and denying it when caught with your hand in the cookie jar is a far worse one. Nevertheless, this story will shape the landscape of information technology and mobile computing for years to come, so all Information Technology Professionals need to be conversant on both the facts and the implications.
hothardware.com – Laptop Monitoring: It’s Not Just In Pennsylvania
“One of the major news stories of the past week has focused on the Lower Merion school district in Philadelphia and the furor created when the school admitted it could remotely activate student webcams and observe them remotely. One clip from an episode of Frontline that aired in June 2009, however, proves that Lower Merion’s Harriton High School is not the only place where students’ rights are potentially being violated.”
There was so much written about this topic that there is no single news story to cover all bases. I recommend that you review Google News’ aggregation site for this topic. You can find all angles, opinions, and levels of engagement there.
At its essence, this is a great cautionary tale for IT Pros… just because you can do something does not mean that you should. Also, it is a story of the best of intentions being carried out in the worst possible ways. Also, the great ends that were realized by this program have now been completely erased by the means that were used to obtain them. Really a sad tale… imagine how well this all could have gone if they had simply sent home a permission slip. My kids’ school sends them home for everything from zoo trips to in-class videos. How did these school administrators miss the boat by so much?
Well, as they say, knowing is half the battle. Be warned….
What do you think about this topic? Do you agree or disagree with me? Do you have a recommended news story for next week? Please share your ideas below.
That is my Information Technology Thought of the Day (ITTOD) for February 28, 2010 by Scott Coughlin.
Image Credit: xomba.com
Silly and Historic Computer Business Videos
Feb 27th
I like Saturdays. My editorial decision to feature a humorous blog item every week fits well with this. In the past, I have featured jokes, comics, cartoons, and news. Sometimes I include comics, stories, games, and photos. By far, though, the most popular humor posts are the videos.
For a chuckle, I have picked this video to share with you. It is called Computer History/Humor with John Cleese and it is very very funny. It is by 1Cheryl and it is a reminder of a computer age now long gone. Once upon a time, there was a war among various manufacturers to produce IBM PC Clones and increase sales through differentiation. Compaq Computing was one company that came out with a line of “portable” computers that got the funny nickname of “luggables” because they were about 45 pounds and bigger than a suitcase. Their first model was not so successful, so they needed something extra to try to sell the next generation. They decided to hire the famous Monty Python actor, John Cleese, to do a series of humorous commercials to sell the product. As far as I know, it was the first time that humor was employed to sell “serious business IT stuff”. Enjoy.
Funny right? Now watch it again and notice the details about the machine and how the hardware itself is not even discussed. In addition to the first time that humor gets used for this, I think that it might be the first time that a computer system is sold by branding rather than performance. Think about today’s computer ads… notice the trend that is still alive today. Are computers commodity items or does the company behind them really matter today?
What did you think of the video? Does it apply to your organization? Do you remember these running on live TV? What other old computer commercials are worth featuring? I hope that you laughed.
Do you know of any other funny IT themed videos or video sites? If so, please do share with us all.
That is my Information Technology Thought of the Day (ITTOD) for February 27, 2010.
media credits: 1Cheryl
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Apple iPad – Feature Wishing
Mar 10th
Posted by Scott Coughlin in Hardware
No comments
I have been writing quite a few articles about the Apple iPad in the past month.
To sum up what I have said here:
I do, however, acknowledge that it is a version 1.0 offering and I can easily think of three features that are missing that I would really like to see for version 2.
What do you think about this topic? Do you agree or disagree with me? Do you have anything that you believe should have been added? Please share your ideas below.
That is my Information Technology Thought of the Day (ITTOD) for March 10, 2010 by Scott Coughlin.
Image Credit: Ritz Camera